Industrial Block

[My3blka]

I'm drawing this as a project to get into an AP Studio Art class at my highschool. I plan on coloring it with prisma color markers, and it'll be my first experience with the markers. I was wondering if there're any tips or tricks that I should know of, and also general critique of the drawing itself, before I commit to it and start to use the markers.

http://threlba.avalonstar.net/drawing/drawing2.jpg

larger version with some cheapo Photoshop color changes can be seen at http://threlba.avalonstar.net/drawing/drawing.jpg

It's a lot bigger, but my scanner didn't fit it all in.

Any criticism and feedback would be appreciated.

[Gray]

Like the shapes and forms on the wall. Really futuristic. Nice perspective. Though it's all very flat. No interesting shapes vehicles etc. Although this could e on purpose.

really curious how it's gonna work out with the coloring.

[kaini]

So you've never drawn anything with markers yet ? You have to be very very careful then ! Do some studies first, try a colouring with photoshop to know how it should look like.

Obviously you have spent a lot of time on the drawing, Perspective looks good. The amount of detail is overwhelming !


I'm looking forward to see the finished version.

[My3blka]

Thanks :) I'm going to do a few basic lighting studies with the markers before coloring this. Also I understand what you mean by it being flat... I'm going to see about adding more details, like vehicles driving on the highway on the bottom right, and maybe some flying things. Not sure...

[J Bradford]

Awesome, make some photocopies of this if you can and try markers on it first.

[jeroentje]

Tips&Tricks on markers you want? Okay :)

First let me tell you that allthough it might look flat now, if you do a proper highlight/shadow coloring of it, it will look awsome.

Okay,
Tip nr 1: Xerox your linework and make a plan for the coloring on the copy. So you don't have to do your linework all over again if you don't like the coloring halfway.

Tip nr2: If your are not familiair with markers, try to color it in cool greys or warm greys only. Will save you money on buying markers aswell.

Tip nr3: Be carefull, use a light color for the darker shadows first. Leave all the light areas open first. Make the shadows darkere and darker along the way. Do not take a very dark marker and smear it on as the first thing you do. But don't be afraid to end in something very dark either. As long as you build it up gently.

Tip 4: Use the white of the paper to keep an open feeling about it.
When you are done and only when you are done, use some white gouache paint, or any white covering paint to point in all the highlights. This will let the whole thing sparkle with light. But don't overdo it.

Good luck,
jeroentje

[Gray]

Great Tips Jeroentje.

Probably for the most of us.

[jeroentje]

hehe, you're welcome Gray.

And because I've started anyway:

Tip 5: Get alcohol based markers. They're more expensive, but last longer, so they're cheaper in the end. The colors look better and they "stripe" less. I prefer AD markers.

Tip 6: Allways keep a blank sheet of paper next to your piece and try out every single marker you pick from the box, before using on your piece. Markers dry out, change color when they get older, the sticker on the marker may change color if it has been laying on the light. You don't want the wrong color on your piece.

Tip 6: Markers are transparent. So if you are using color, remember that you can mix colors on your paper to create more depht in the colors. (Another reason for the blank sheet ;) )

Markers rock :rock:
jeroentje

[Gray]

Damn you can read my mind. Was just about to ask wat brand of markers you use.. :)

Thanks again

[jeroentje]

Ik weet niet waar je precies woont (ik in Amsterdam dus), maar ik geloof dat ze op het moment in de aanbieding zijn bij van Beek. Ik haal ze zelf altijd bij AG Schmidt in Badhoevedorp (betere service en over het algemeen goedkoper).

Sory 4 the Dutch,
jeroentje

[Gray]

Bedankt :)

[My3blka]

thanks for all the tips, I hadn't thought of photocopying it, that'll work out great :)

[Richie Marella]

I think your Industrial blocks Kick ass. My only comment would be to have a central focus. The way the blocks are set up they dont look flat by respects of their perspectives, but they do look flat that everything looks the same. Like some others said maybe add a cool car or even a different shape like a cyliner power plant or something. Well theres my contribution. I love the technical designs. let me know how it turns out.

[My3blka]

I photocopied it a bunch, and reduced it, to practice markers. Here's what I got so far [photograph...my scanner isn't working]

http://threlba.avalonstar.net/drawing/marker1.jpg

http://threlba.avalonstar.net/drawing/tweaked-bleed.jpg

^^ second one is the bleed-through on the back of the paper inverted in Photoshop. Thought it looked kind of interesting.

[narisiaril]

I like the dark sky in the inverted one better. The night setting and lower light source make it kind of eerie.

[roelant]

http://threlba.avalonstar.net/drawing/marker1.jpg

that one is.. beautifull.. it has this feeling to it, awesome.. check those lines..

it might be because of the photo (nice technique.. ?), id liked to see it scanned one time..

anyways, keep it up!

[My3blka]

Ok, i've finally gotten it scanned.

http://threlba.avalonstar.net/drawing/ind-1.jpg

and I did another lame PS colorization, lol. I think I will scan the large version when I shade it, and then do a proper PS coloring job on it, and print it poster sized.

http://threlba.avalonstar.net/drawing/ind-2.jpg

[espaki]

I like the p-shop color! one crit is that even tho it has depth through the perspective, there is something lacking. Maybe if you add another light source on the left and a bit of horizon fog to the sky it might fix it.

Just my thoughts....


-Nate

[Gray]

I actually like the photoshop colorization. It gives the buildings some sort of Frank Loyd Wright look... Like some of the buildings seen in Bladerunner.

I would really like to see something happeningn here. Cars going (flying) by... people. Commmercial billboards. etc.

But as it its intended as an industrial block. Perhaps some high-tech cranes or something.

Great work!

[My3blka]

Thanks :) Cars, people, and potentially a few ads along the highway are all things I have planned to add to the original. This is a reduced size photocopy that I'm using to test ideas on.